You and Me this Christmas Eve
by Nami-RikuAerie
Summary: I had nothing to do before... but here you are, right in front of me! I finally have someone to... play around with," Rated M for possible future lemon and language. Which isnt all that bad right now
1. Stumbled upon you

( I do not own Final Fantasy VII or its characters… obviously these characters aren't acting to much like themselves, but its my story, so… Heh. : D )

She held her hands together and huffed out a breath of warm air onto them, interlocking her fingers in an attempt to cease their lack of heat. Her brown hair swayed with the chilled wind, and she hugged her jacket closer. It was winter. A cold, harsh winter. A winter evening, to be exact. Though school was out for the next few weeks, Aerith Gainsborough had absolutely nothing to do. She sighed. "What good is high school life if there's no one to spend my vacation with?" She questioned sadly to herself. She looked around at the few people still wandering the park, all of which she knew, but wasn't exactly friends with.

She was one of the outcasts in her school. Only a handful of friends, didn't partake in any other activities, never went to social events… She didn't mind, though. All she really needed was her best friend, Tifa Lockhart, one of the most popular girls in school, mind you, and the flowers. She loved flowers. She had a whole sketch book at home filled with pictures of many different kinds of flowers. Apparently, she was fairly good at drawing them. Tifa always complimented her on it, and she'd blush, overly flattered. Aerith wasn't really the type of person who handled the few compliments she got well.

She had been heading home from the flower shop in which she worked, which wasn't doing to well in the business category, considering the season. They had just gotten a new shipment of Chrysanthemums, and she had spent hours secretly slacking off to doodle them in her miniature sketch book, which she would then add to her larger one and color. She pulled out her old, beaten flip phone and dialed Tifa's number. After it rang several times and there was no answer, she gave up. "Probably at a party or something," She murmured to herself. "It is Christmas Vacation, after all…" She muttered.

She looked ahead of her to see Cloud Strife, walking along the sidewalk towards her, his hands in the pockets of his long leather jacket, his head down. She slowed down for a moment, her face getting red. Yes, of course she liked him, but she'd never admit it. She hadn't even told Tifa, who was obviously obsessed with him, and probably couldn't keep it a secret for long, especially from Cloud himself. She turned her head to the side, incase he looked up. Her breath hung in the air, white as snow.

Before she knew it, she was on the ground, next to him. She put her hands over her mouth and gasped. "Oh, I'm so sorry!" She said worriedly. He stood up and held his hand out to her. She hesitated for a moment before taking it and rose to her feet with his assistance. Her face was beet red. "I-I'm sorry… I wasn't watching where I was going, and I guess I must have slipped or s-something-" She stuttered before being interrupted. "It's quite alright," Cloud replied with a smile, his voice like honey. She was speechless for a moment, staring at him, before she snapped back to reality. "I must seem like such a fool… Um… Is there anyway I can repay you?" She asked quietly, like a child being punished. He laughed. "There's nothing to be sorry for, but you could let me walk you home," He said. "Besides, I believe I owe you, anyways," He smiled once more.

She blushed, and agreed. They walked in silence, her hands in her pockets, head slightly turned down. She attempted to cover her face with her hair, so he couldn't see how red it still was. _'Gosh darn it, I have to face my fears on day, why not start now?' _She turned to look at him. His face was set on the road ahead. She sighed mentally. _'Thank god…' _She didn't avert her gaze from him. She studied what she could from his expression. _'If only I knew what he was thinking…' _She said to herself. _'Might as well start a conversation, I suppose… might calm me down a bit," _

"So… what brings you out here at this hour?" She asked him, seeming totally different on the outside than she truly was. He turned his head to face her and smiled. "I could ask you the same," He replied. "Anyway, I was just getting away from my parents… The drunken idiots decided to go psycho, so I was just walking around, doing some thinking." Aerith looked down, a slightly sad expression on her face. "At least you have parents… I live by myself, so I guess I wouldn't know how to relate," She sighed. "Yeah, well, sometimes it doesn't feel like it…" Cloud murmured. "Anyway, enough about my problems… what were you doing out here so late? Its freezing… Wouldn't a girl like you get to cold?" He joked, playfully nudging her arm. She laughed. "I was on my way home from work… they need people to work the late shift at the flower shop since its Christmas vacation, and I thought, 'Hey, what the hell, lets do it!' " Cloud playfully gasped. "Such language for such a young woman! I'm appalled!" He teased.

She laughed again. "Oh, and about that cold remark? Yeah, your right… It really is cold. But what do you expect? Its not like its ninety degrees in the winter." She said, looking forward. He chuckled, looking forward as well. "Yeah, I suppose your right." He replied. "You know, you're alright." He said. She looked at him. "Well, I sure hope so!" She replied. They both laughed.

"But seriously," Cloud continued, "I'd like to talk to you more. You know, get to know ya a little better?" He asked. She blushed, pulling hair behind her ear. "R-really? I honestly don't think I'm to much to be desired… you shouldn't waste your time," She said bashfully.

"Hey, don't say things like that about yourself!" He said, placing a hand on her shoulder. She jumped slightly at the sudden gesture. "I'm serious! Tell you what… are you busy tomorrow?" He asked. "No… I don't think so…" She replied hesitantly. "Ok. Then I'm taking you out somewhere… I declare it as of now!" He said playfully. He jotted something down on a piece of paper, and then handed it to her. She looked at it with a puzzled expression. "Whats this?" She asked. "That's my phone number, silly!" He said laughing. "Huh?" She asked, then continued, "Oh, oh… right. Sorry…" She said, her face even more red then she thought possible. He laughed again. "Is this the place?" He asked. "What…?" She looked up, and realized that they had stopped walking. She looked around. "Oh, yeah… thanks for the help." She said, smiling.

"Ok, well… I'd best be off." He said. He took a step, then turned back to her and took her hand. "M'lady, I bid you good night," He said smoothly, placing his soft lips on her hand for a moment before continuing down the road. She watched him leave until he was out of sight, speechless.


	2. She's gotta be insane

She unlocked the door to her small home, still feeling a little shaken. Not only had Cloud Strife, _the_ Cloud Strife, actually taken the time to _talk_ to her, he actually kissed her! Well, what she counted as a kiss anyway, being herself and all. She didn't know why she kept repeating it to herself, she obviously knew what had happened, so what was the use of saying it over and over again?

'_Because he's him, that's why!' _She noted mentally. After throwing her tan jacket on the table, she plopped down on the couch and heaved out yet another huge sigh. _'If I kept letting myself get like this, its going to kill me,' _She sighed mentally.

She stood up again, turning on the lights. She walked into her room, undressing and slipping on some baggy pajama pants and a white sports bra. She walked over to her vanity and sat down on the stool that stood in front of it. She grabbed her brush and began going through her bronze hair. She looked into the mirror to face the emerald eyes staring back. "My face is still pink… I need to learn to deal with people better," She said aloud to herself disappointedly.

She took the pink ribbon out of her hair and let it all fall. She tackled the many tangles with her triumphant brush that always stood by her in these tough times, and headed out into the kitchen to fix herself some dinner. She opened her fridge and sighed. "I need some food that's not expired… ack, this all smells terrible!" She shut the door and headed to the cabinets, finding a granola bar and giving up, taking it and chomping on it. "This might kill me, too… what with my lack of eatable food. I'll have to go to the store tomorrow…" She headed over to her 'secret cabinet' and pulled out an old jar that had money piled at the bottom. She peered inside, and took out a few bills, putting away the jar, and placing the money in her tearing wallet on the counter.

--

She walked over to her stereo and blasted the music. She quickly ran to her room and grabbed her sketch book and colors, heading back to the kitchen to sketch some more. She took her smaller sketch book and attempted to transfer the picture. She fell into a daze, almost not thinking about what she was drawing, just letting her mind wander. Once her hand ached, she looked down to see what she had drawn. Her eyes widened a bit at the sight before her.

'_Ok, now I'm just loosing it! There is NO WAY that I did that… I know I'm not even that good… its not possible. I've got to be sleeping.' _She thought to herself. She shut her sketch book abruptly and threw it back in her room.

As she walked back out into the hall, she heard knocking on the door. She hesitated for a moment, and then peered out the window. She let out a sigh of relief, and opened the door "Hi Ti-" She started before being ambushed by her insane friend.

"What are you doing!" Aerith yelled at Tifa, squirming under her weight, and looking up to see her friends huge grin.

"Oh my god, tell me all about it! What did he say? What did you say?" She squealed.

"What are you talking about!?" Aerith replied, still attempting to break free.

"I'm _talking _about your date with Cloud!" She yelped, rolling off of Aerith.

"How did you know about that…?" Aerith said, her face gaining its red color again. She slowly stood up and brushed herself off, then shut the door and locked it. She brushed her hair off of her shoulder. "And it wasn't really a date, he just walked me home," She said quietly.

"HA! So you _were _with him!" She said, laughing maniacally. "And incase you didn't know, that's considered a _daaate_!" She teased.

"Nu-uuh!" Aerith countered, playfully pushing her friend. "We ran into each other and he helped me get home. That's. All!" She continued, embarrassed. "Back to _you_, how did you know about that?" She asked, almost scolding Tifa.

Tifa started walking with a sly jump in her step. "Because he tooooold me," She said, smiling slyly. Aerith gasped. "And he said it was a date?" She asked, her face turning even redder.

"No…" Tifa started. "He said he 'Met-up with you'. That sounds like a date to me-e!" She chimed, dancing around Aerith, her cocky grin still pasted across her face. "Soo…. How did it go?" She said, prancing around.

"For the last time, it wasn't a date! He just walked me home after I ran into him…" She paused for a moment, hoping Tifa didn't catch the hidden meaning in her words. She then continued, "He gave me his number, and told me to call him. That's _it_," She announced, before realizing what she had just done.

"He gave you his _number_!?" Tifa answered with a shriek. "It was so. Totally. A date!!" She said, jumping repeatedly and clapping her hands. "We have to do your hair… and your nails! And we need to go buy some cloths… AHAAA this is E-P-I-C!" She said, overly enthusiastic.

"Ok, thanks, well, bye!" Aerith shouted over Tifa's rambling as she shoved her out the door and shut it quickly, making sure it was double locked, after her encounter that left her regular door lock in shambles. It had been no match for Tifa…

She headed towards her room, grabbing her phone off the counter on the way, putting in a number and sending a message before plopping down onto her bed and growling into one of her fluffy pink pillows.


	3. Little Trips and Boredom Whoo hoo

She awoke early the next morning not totally rested, still tired from her previous encounter with her insane friend. She stood, realizing her thighs ached from where Tifa's knees had dug into them. For someone who was younger than her, Tifa sure kicked some ass.

Aerith grumbled slightly will she brushed through the tangled mess that was her hair. She changed into her light pink dress with grace, and examined herself in her long mirror, striking different poses and turning to see if everything checked out okay.

Once she was satisfied, she made it known by clasping her hands together and smiling. She headed out into the center of the small home and grabbed her keys, as well as her worn out wallet and beaten phone, slipping them into the pockets of her tan coat once she had slipped it on.

She headed out the door, making sure it was locked before continuing down the street to the market, which was conveniently only a few houses down.

She got there and was satisfied with the prices, and extremely glad, or somewhat relieved, that the expiration date was far off. She smiled to herself once she had bought the necessary foods, As well as a little treat for herself, and walked back home. On the way back, she began thinking. Her thoughts brought her back to Cloud, over and over again.

She couldn't seem to get last night's events off her mind, so she decided to rest when she got back.

Upon arriving, she sat the two bags of goods on the small porch, and unlocked the door with ease. Grabbing the bags, she stepping inside, gracefully kicking the door shut with the back of her boot. She plopped the bags on the counter and sighed. "I need to be more physically active…" She breathed.

She held her head down for a moment before snapping it back up and putting the things away before they spoiled. She removed the outdated food from her small refrigerator and tossed them in the trash quickly, replacing them with the new and fresh goods. She placed her hands on her hips with satisfaction.

She walked over to her couch, brushing stray locks of bronze hair out of her leafy-green eyes. Kicking her legs up into a comfortable position, she reached over and picked up a book that had sat on the coffee table, a thin layer of dust over its hard cover. Examining the title, her face twisted into a confused look.

**The Complete History of Moogles**

She flipped through its pages, scanning over its words quickly. Sure, they were cute, but she didn't really care about "The peak of the Moogle dynasty". She tossed it lightly and it landed with a 'plop' on the glass surface.

She placed her hand on her forehead and sighed. It wasn't too unusual for her to be utterly bored. She flipped open her phone, which had be in the pocket of the jacket she was reluctant to take off. She typed in a message, her fingers moving fast over the dull, T9 keyboard.


End file.
